Carl W. Kenney II is an award winning columnist and novelist. He is committed to engaging readers into a meaningful discussion related to matters that impact faith and society. He grapples with pondering the impact faith has on public space while seeking to understand how public space both hinders and enhances the walk of faith.

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Durham black clergy endorse Farad Ali for mayor

Jerome Washington,
pastor of Mount Vernon Baptist Church, stood behind a podium wearing a
three-piece blue suit. It was the conventional dress and posture for a Sunday
sermon. Like John the Baptist,
Washington, challenged a congregation gathered away from the house of worship.

The message was get
out and vote. The congregation was a group of local black pastors assembled at
Forest Hills Park.

“In the life of the
African American church, social justice has been central, and it is the voice
of the preacher - sometimes popular, sometimes not popular- that has guided
people,” Washington said during his benediction. “With that in mind, these men
and women have come together to say to Durham: we need to come out, we need to
vote. We need to vote for our future.”

Washington called the
group “Ministers United”. It’s the name given for the occasion. There are no
bylaws to solidify the group’s mission statement. They had one goal – to get
people to vote for Ali. It’s the first time in a long time that black clergy
have united to endorse a candidate for local office.

“History is watching
us. The nation is watching us. God is watching us.” Washington said. “There’s
too much at stake.”

The men and women
behind Washington nodded like parishioners on Sunday during the peak of a
sermon. Like a congregation that has witnessed the good mingled with the bad,
they stood like their faith required them to challenge the masses.

“Downtown may be on
the rise, but there are other things at stake, “Washington said. “There are too
many without jobs. There are neighborhoods that need special attention and that
special attention does not mean crowding out and forcing out the least.”

In the crowd were two
political veterans – Michael Page, pastor of Antioch Baptist Church and former
member of the Durham Public School Board and Board of County Commissioners and
Frederick Davis, pastor of First Calvary Baptist Church and former member of
the Durham Public School Board.

“I think it’s
paramount in this juncture of Durham’s history that clergy not only show this unified
base, but that we educate our congregations so that they can make the best
voting decision,” said William-Hazel Height, pastor of Greater Saint Paul
Missionary Baptist Church. “I don’t tell them who to vote for, but I lay out the
parameters to make the best decision, and I believe Farad Ali is the best
decision.”

Washington said
endorsing Ali is easy because he sees him at church when Ali’s not worshipping
with his congregation at Asbury Temple United Methodist Church or with his
family at Immaculate Catholic Church.

“I’ve spoken with
many of these pastor’s individually about how unity can bring us together in so
many ways,” Ali said. “We should all share in the prosperity. We should not be
talking about some areas of our city that are growing, some people that are
growing or some buildings that are growing, but we should all share in that
prosperity.”

Greg Hardy, president
of Tabernacle of Redeemed, said he has known Ali since playing Pee Wee Football
together,

“It is important for
Durham to see us together as clergy, as men and women of faith to encourage our
community to make a difference by getting out to vote,” Hardy said. “We support
Ali’s vision, because he is the man we believe can get us to where we need to
go. All of Durham, not just those who are well off, but those who are marginalized

Washington said his
message to his congregation on Sunday will be a challenge to vote. Many of the
ministers mourned the apathy of black voters.

“Why should we have
to remind them of the sacrifices made for them to vote, Percy Chase, pastor of
Community Baptist Church, said. “People gave up their lives so we can vote.”

The congregation of
clergy went their separate ways inspired by the gospel of get out the vote.
Washington’s message about the future of Durham was heard like an old Bible
story. Maybe it was the one about the children of the Israelites who forgot
what the Lord had done. Maybe it was the one about the years of exile after
they took things for granted.

Inspired by the
spirit of their peers, these black preachers are prepared to do what they do
best on Sunday morning.

Total Pageviews

Carl W. Kenney II

Carl was named the best serious columnist of 2011 by the North Carolina Press Association for his work with the News & Observer's community paper The Durham News and in 2016 by the Missouri Press Association for his columns in the Columbia Missourian. He is a columnist with the News & Observer and Co-Executive Producer of "God of the Oppressed" an upcoming documentary film on black liberation theology. He is a former Adjunct Professor at the University of Missouri - School of Journalism and Adjunct Instructor at Duke University, the Center for Documentary Studies. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He furthered his education at Duke University and attained a Master of Divinity. He was named a Fellow in Pastoral Leadership Development at the Princeton Theological Seminary on May 14, 2005. He is a freelance writer with his commentary appearing in The Washington Post, Religious News Services,The Independent Weekly and The Durham Herald-Sun. Carl is the author of two novels: “Preacha’ Man” and the sequel “Backslide”.
He has led congregations in Missouri and North Carolina